German Chancellor “disgusted” by Palestinian Authority President’s remarks diminishing the Holocaust in his visit to Berlin
The German Chancellor has condemned remarks by the President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) made while on a visit to Berlin.
PA President Mahmoud Abbas, also known by his nom de guerre, Abu Mazen, refused to condemn the horrific attack by Arab terrorists at the Munich Olympics in 1972, when they murdered eleven Israeli athletes. The fiftieth anniversary of the attack is due to be commemorated this year.
Instead of condemning the terrorist atrocity, Mr Abbas accused Israel of committing “50 Holocausts”. He said: “From 1947 to the present day, Israel has committed 50 massacres in Palestinian villages and cities, in Deir Yassin, Tantura, Kafr Qasim and many others, 50 massacres, 50 Holocausts.”
According to the International Definition of Antisemitism, “Drawing comparisons of contemporary Israeli policy to that of the Nazis” is an example of antisemitism.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was standing next to Mr Abbas when he made his remark, later condemned it on Twitter, writing: “For us Germans in particular, any relativisation of the singularity of the Holocaust is intolerable and unacceptable. I am disgusted by the outrageous remarks made by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.”
The Israeli Prime Minister also condemned the comments, writing on Twitter: “Mahmoud Abbas accusing Israel of having committed ‘50 Holocausts’ while standing on German soil is not only a moral disgrace, but a monstrous lie. History will never forgive him.”
Decades ago, Mr Abbas argued in his faux doctoral dissertation in the Soviet Union that the Zionist movement and its leaders were “fundamental partners” of the Nazis and shared equal responsibility for the Holocaust.
The official Palestinian Authority news agency, Wafa, did not include the Holocaust comments in its report of the meeting between Mr Abbas and Mr Scholz, and the Palestinian Authority dismissed the condemnations and issued no apology.
Campaign Against Antisemitism reports on news and incidents relating to antisemitism worldwide.
